I know Ngaire just got back....but any idea when she, or RSSC will have the 2005 prices up? And specials (more important!)

Bobbi:

All except for Mariner next fall seem to be up. Great deals (e.g., 2 for 1) except base prices on some have gone up. Need to look at net prices and compare to 2004.

Those Mariner prices are the ones I am looking for. Ngaire can't do anything with her board till she gets them. Marc, let us know how the pricing seems compared to 2004.

I haven't done much research as we are totally committed for 2005 already.

One that I noticed:

This year Bermuda was 2 for 1 starting at $1548. Next year, 2 for 1 starting at $2048. This year, base price for balcony on Voyager, Mariner, and Navigator was $500 per day excet cheaper to Alaska. Next year, with all the specials, I can't tell.

For example, 12 day segment of world cruise is $600 per day but a little lower on 14 day segment. However, free air is included. They don't have the offset for the free air on the website last I looked.

Need to look closely at prices. This fall's transatlantic, a 2 for 1, ends up being my most expensive perdiem because they hiked up the base price and have ridiculous port charges added.

I know this is garbled and running on. I would just recommend looking at bottom line perdiem all inclusive when comparing different sailings. This new marketing guy at Radisson is playing some games that make it very worthwhile for us to keep looking at the pricing. Specials seem to come and go.

While I don't know the whole story on 2005 prices, I do know that I booked the Diamond Venice/Athens for May 28 '05 for a "can't afford to stay home" price while aboard the VTC.

Then there was this rumor (denied by the Future Cuise Director on the VTC) that I hesitate to report on this board, but with the understanding that it is just an unconfirmed and denied rumor, I will. Some of the guests on the VTC were "carry overs" from the world cruise, where they were told by ship's officers (different than those on the VTC) that Radisson had delayed its 2005 pricing because ALL 2005 cruises would be open bar, and thus at a bit higher price. I know, I know. Everyone is tired of hearing Dolebludger talk about open bar. I'm even tired of it myself. So, I am merely reporting a very shakey rumor I heard, that would explain higher prices in this highly competitive market.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

Wow, Richard. That would certainly make a difference in comparing prices between lines, not just between RSSC sailings, Thanks marc - I had been checking every few days, must hae missed when they went in.

(Trying to type while watching game 6 between Flyers and Leafs.) Making lots of typos.
(Oh - Flyers ahead, 2-0.)

Go AVS!

Marc, what is AVS? I don't think you are talking flyertalk here, but I am a bit slow.

Athens to Venice in September?

Colorado Avalanche

Olivia:

Looking at Asia pricing. Since Mariner pricing is not available, I looked at Voyager World Cruise pricing. The Hong Kong Singapore is only 12 days. Cat H is priced at $7395 ( a little over $600 per diem) with a 10% Early Booking Discount (EBD) for a net of $6566. There is also free air, which could be a nice benefit.

Since the cruise we are looking at is 14 days, I looked at a 14 day World Cruise segment Auckland to Sydney. Price is $8295 (a little UNDER $600 erp diem) with a 10% EBD for a net of $7466. There is also free air.

So, lacking any real info, I am planning on $8295 minus EBD minus onboard booking minus SSS minus 5% TA discount for a total of $6400 plus port charges of around $250. Free air would be a nice perk on top of this.

I just wish Radisson would post the cruise so I didn't need to make these assumptions.

Marc, I am still ROTF laughing about the avalanche (how's that for flyertalk?) Seems like they can "take" us once we are hooked and have done all the "other" stuff. Strange why Asia is so much more expensive. Those $600 per diems are hard to take, that's why I hopped onto the Silversea special when we could get it in the mid $300 range. I have also tried to estimate according to the World Cruise pricing, and it looks like you just have to suck it up, unless you are willing to wait for a special that comes along later, like our Silversea cruise recently that I thought was a good value. Have to wait and see, I guess.

Ok, I'll admit it, what's a Colorado avalanche??

A Hockey team that is LOSING right now!

Olivia, it is not too bad when you add in all the discounts and get free air. Comes to around $400 per diem. Besides the important thing is to get one of the ten Cat H cabins. That saves money right there.

Marc, we shall see what turns up. I am not getting any response from Joanna as to what cruise she would like. I think she is hesitant in "spending" too many of her vacation days on a cruise, although I thought she entered a new level of getting more in 2005. If not, I will probably go solo on a cruise that has a group from this board. I really want to spend more time in Asia, or visit Australia/New Zealand for the first time.

Olivia:

Would love to cruise with you.

Ngaire mentioned that she was considering going on both the cruise before ours (Tokyo to Hong Kong) and the one after (Singapore to Sydney). Of course, she mentioned that prior to adding the Asia trip this fall.

You could always join the PiPsters on the PG next May!

I think the PIP cruise is going to be fantastic! Almost another VOF! (But MINT is going to outdo all!) Since I have already done the PG, am looking into new horizons. I hope to cruise with you and Arlene someday, and I am sure it will happen one of these days since both of us are curious cruisers!

First the pricing for the Voyager is on my web now Bobbi. It just takes a lot of work to get all this done. I am very busy right now so the web is being put off until the weekends when I can work with less interruptions. It takes a lot of focus to do all those pricings, for all the ships and only I can do it. Yes, I know I need to delegate but if it is wrong it is a real problem.

Richard: I am sorry but the delay in 2005 pricing had nothing to do with open bar in my humble opinion. That idea may have surfaced because the World Cruise is open bar as is the Explorer 11. Lots of changes in many ways of doing things caused the delay.

The prices "probably" wont get any better than you are seeing right now for the majority of cruises. The plan is to start at the lowest points so the early bookers get the specials and then the specials will become less attractive. They did this on the Diamond in 2004 with the 2 for 1 and then they came out with the What a Fare deal. Then they took the business class upgrade out of the What a fare deal.

Not to say that during the year if a particular cruise does not sell that they wont offer a special but the plan is early bookers get the best deals. I am fully behind this theory and think it is much better.

Since I am now doing China again (yippee) on October 4 of this year I will only do the Mariner from Singapore to Sydney in October 05. I really want to do this itinerary. They have not offered it for a long time and it is high on my list.

As I said, I did not put much stock in the "open bar rumor" except as to the World Cruise, where it was verified as true.

I must say that $600 per diems will either keep me at home or send me to some all inclusive land resorts where I can find some much lower prices on some pretty fancy places. But the '05 Radisson cruise I booked onboard the VTC is $258 per deim (cruise only) which I can do with no problem.

I must say that some of the '05 per deim prices that have been mentioned on these boards are so high that they make local gasoline prices look cheap (joke). Can they hold them there and fill the ships? IMO, I don't think so. But, what if they can?

Well people have asked us why we have cruised so much in the last two or so years. We have told them that we have found a good deal and we don't know how much longer it will last. I hope it's not over.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

Dont despair Richard, the entire Diamond in Europe is 2 for 1 at a RSSC starting price of $2148 (with most normal discounts, plus society, onboard then that is about $263 per day) there are Voyager trips that have $1000 off or Free Air. There are still many Caribbean trips at 2 for 1. There are good deals out there.

The "exotic" trips have always been priced higher. The World Cruise and unique destinations.

To further confuse things...Tom has now shown an interest in Ngaire and Ken's cruise from Singapore to Sydney (but he likes the idea of staying on and doing the Sydney to Auckland). We'll need to make some serious decisons...can't do all of this as much as I'd like to.
Did I understand correctly that this is... GULP...$600 per diem?? :eek:

Marcie:

I have not read anything about $600 per deim except on this board. If true, for that price, I would expect open bar and things Carol would divorce me over. If this pricing is true, is somebody at Radisson "smoking their ropes" or what? Can anybody say "empty ships?"

Seriously, this is a price level wherein several of us could get together and charter our own yacht and crew, and set our own itinerary and service level at a high level.

My fearless prediction? These prices won't hold for long. If they do, this will become the "let's get together for a charter" board.

Thanks,
Richard

$600 MINUS EBD MINUS TA discount MINUS SSS MINUS Onboard booking AND (for World Cruise and hopefully for Mariner) MINUS Free Air.

This is a LOT LESS thank $600 per day!

All I was saying is that Radisson has moved base per diem from $500 to $600 on many routes. I did not say that these were what you would pay.

As much as we'd love to do the Auckland/Sydney Voyager in late January, the advance bookings for the World Cruise are very strong. RSSC is not currently accepting bookings in the lowest price categories. As it gets closer to cancellation date I'll check again to see if bookings reopen, but I'm not booking unless that happens.

By comparison, Silversea is offering a Dec 9-22 cruise on the Cloud for 50% off for 13 days in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. This is also an itinerary of interest and is better enough from a price perspective (after checking out airfare options) that we've gone ahead and booked. Olivia, I look forward to talking with you about this trip when we're on VJ7! Cheers, Anne

Richard, you have been cracking me up all week! "Smoking their ropes" HAHAHAHAHA

Marcie: Keep me in the loop regarding your latest thoughts about Singapore to Sydney - if you did the whole thing how many days - I get confused about finding the info - Joanna

Oh Excellent! I've been strongly considering this itinerary as well! So many choices!!!!!!

Marc,
Since the Avs went meekly last night are you going to turn to the Lightning? It is good to see other hockey fans out there especially Avalanche fans.

Richard,
You will be happy to hear that while on Navigator I spoke to Jan Novak about the continued fascination with open bar. Although I don't remember his exact words, I do remember that he was not enthusiastic about it happening.

Mailman:

Thanks for the report. Jan is particularly skillful at accessing matters, and was also the Hotel Director on the Diamond/Caribbean open bar experiment last summer.

I don't know about anybody else, but all I personally wrote Mark Conroy and asked Radisson to do was to conduct experiements in open bar (or more open bars) to see if this might increase bookings, fill ships, and thus make Radisson more money. I was happy to see the Diamond experiment and to now hear about a second experiment on the '05 world cruise under what were termed "more controlled conditions."

The thing about experiments is sometimes they fail, and Jan may feel that the Diamond experience failed. Perhaps it did, for all I know. In any event, I'm just pleased that Radisson is apparently so open to suggestions, regardless of the results of the experiments.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

The other thing is that Radisson can't start charging prices that in many cases are as high or higher than Silversea yet not be all-inclusive. The new 2005 prices are much higher than I would have expected.

Very true, Lawrence. But if Radisson can't find a way to do it profitably, we all will just have to "vote with our wallets" and take Silversea up on it. I have been looking for an attractively priced Silversea "special" at a time when I can go (not December)and run into the problem that on all their ships I have to go at least one upgrade to get a balcony --- and I still loose a little squeare footage compared with Mariner/Navigator/Voyager base suites. I'm not shopping Silversea out of any anger or problem with Radisson, but just the natural desire for vatiety.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

Joanna, the Singapore to Sydney is 14 days (seems like the perfect amount of time to me) but then from Sydney it goes on to Auckland (another 14 days)....but then from Auckland it comes back to Los Angeles! Now these 3 segments would really be the dream cruise of a lifetime... BUT (and it's a big one)....we would really have to move into a tent (a small one at that) to ever pull something like that off. I don't think the pets would like that. :mecry:

I'm afraid Tom is smoking the same rope that Mark Conroy is smokin! <img border="0" alt="[Hammer]" title="" src="graemlins/hammer.gif" />

Lawrence, the food in the ports may or may not be better on the Oct. 15 '05 Voyager but since when (other than cheeseburgers in Paradise) do we eat lunch off the ship?....this is actually your breakfast! (I think I'm combining two threads here).
P.S. Lawrence knows how much I love him so I can get away with saying these things! :D

Actually, you're right Marcie. I think the only time I've ever eaten in port was at Le Select in St. Bart's. I guess that place Remo took us to after VOF doesn't count since we didn't have a ship to go back to. Hmm...I guess the remaining x-factor is seeing what the pricing is like on the Mariner Asia segments.

Marcie, What's interesting is that staying on for that last segment from Auckland back to LA would be CHEAPER Than buying first-class air!!!

Well in that case, I say go for it Marcie! Maybe I'll be joining you for the middle leg Sydney/Aukland! Oh, but then you'd have to miss all the fun of cooking Thanksgiving dinner!

Me miss all the fun of cooking Thanksgiving! Now that would break my heart (still don't know how I've always been roped into that)...guess it wouldn't matter anyway since the tent won't have a stove!

Lawrence, you come up with this info ...I never thought about it that way! I have analyzed that one of the reasons we had never been "down under" was the looooooong flights! (I can see it now....me in a middle seat in coach while Tom sleeps like a baby up in 1st class!) Grrrrrrr!

I have to say that I would go back to Australia and/or New Zealand in a HEARTBEAT...but never EVER again in coach. We flew over in coach and it was the most incredibly horrible flight I ever had. So we splurged and upgraded on the way home. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. I slept the majority of the way home and woke to the smells of breakfast.

I would love to do the Sydney-Auckland trip...maybe after I hit the Powerball tonight!! HEY...If that's the case, I'll take you all!!

Oh, please Sheri, put me first on the list! I would love to do the Sydney-Aukland trip! My Joanna is in no hurry at all to pick a cruise yet from my laundry list to her for 2005, and I guess I won't get nagging at her til prices are out. My hopes are either Austr/NZ, Norwegian Fjords, tied for first, with China or Vietnam in second.

By the way, we survived in Coach to and from Singapore (mostly in exit rows). To get biz class would have cost more than the cruise, on the Shadow no less! I am not of Scottish descent, but I watch my dollars to provide for future spending of them that last more than 24 hours! Sometimes those miles can't come through, although with USAirways coming into the Star Alliance, things are looking up! Next two cruises (VJ7 and MINT) are upgrades on paid tickets because I booked very early on. I am going to spoil my girls in the process of self-endulgence!

Dolebludger:
Rent our own yacht huh?

Well look at the following site
www.valefyachts.com

This is something that could be done!!!
And not only that but we could charter our own plane

Jim B: Not that you have asked, but before I started cruising as a single person (married then) we would often charter large sailboats (80ft+-) and get couples together for crewed charters. Pricing is about the same as going on a cruise, Granted, you don't have entertainment that you can't get locally, and the cabins are, well, on a sailboat (tiny!) Dinner menu was without choice, but we mailed our preferences beforehand. I loved it! You name your dress code, you name your ports, they have to wait for you if you are late and it is very personal. When I first started posting on cc eons and eons ago, I would mention this and it never got the slightest response. It is a great way to go in places like the BVI's. All inclusive, except for tips. I would do it again in a nano second if I were married with other friends who wanted to do this. We have so many choices out there! I have to say that these experiences, particularly in places like Jost vanDyke (as well as Virgin Gorda on land+ have convinced me that the cruise industry has had a very negative impact on what I enjoyed years ago. Cruise ships choke a small island, no doubt about it. But in the European ports, there is a large population anyway, so it does not matter as much.